


Connection

by MilayaMilenZeal



Series: Genetrix [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 08:33:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30002142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilayaMilenZeal/pseuds/MilayaMilenZeal
Summary: A connection is formed only when both parties consent to its establishment. And both parties are swiftly coming to realize that they've formed a connection without even really paying it much heed.--An off-shoot of "Long Live the Queen", but can be read separately without a lot of knowledge of it. Will have hints of Promptis, but it's not the main focus of the story.
Relationships: Verstael Besithia/Original Character(s)
Series: Genetrix [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/719982





	Connection

“…Hey, Libby?”

“Yes?”

Regina doesn't speak up immediately after, and instead spends some time turning the pendant between her fingers.

“…you think he loved her?”

Libri, understandably, looks at her curiously with a delicately raised brow.

“Odd you should ask… given how he's engraved it in the pendant as a gift, clearly.”

“Yeah, I know…”

“…’but'?”

“She went alone. With the baby. Where was _he_ in all this?”

“…I don't know,” Libri admits after a beat. “But, I _do_ know that they formed a bond of some kind. One that requires two sides to properly establish.”

“…I guess you're right…”

**_June 5, M.E. 720_ **

Verstael Besithia was never a person to hesitate about what it was he wanted in life. It's a fact he's proud of, almost unhealthily so.

Raised to be the best of the best, and rising above his peers at every turn has provided him with a sense of pride and accomplishment that few others could match. And ever since reaching that very pinnacle he's sought for so long, he's rarely ever wanted or needed for anything other than the sustenance that keeps his body going to live another day. He'd long since convinced himself that everything else was meaningless and, more importantly, unnecessary.

A few people dying of this silly Scourge down in the lower scales? The only reason it could even be _marginally_ interesting is if he could take the corpses and manufacture a cute from them.

That's the mindset he's always had, and he's always handled it fine and with zero empathy for those that were left alone, even if he offered them his condolences. Like, what were they upset about, even? Their family member’s death could serve to help everyone in the upper scales. They should be _proud_.

That's been his thought process each and every time…

Each… and… every… time…

So **_WHY_** in the name of… whatever was out there did he keep coming back to this dumb, dirty, dinghy little diner in the lower scales every week like clockwork?!

“Good mor—Versy! Wow, you're early! I wasn’t expecting you at this hour!”

…Right, _that's_ why…

“Good morning, Flora,” he says cordially, despite how his heart is fighting tooth and nail to escape the confines of his chest and out of his treacherous mouth. “We've been having some issues at work, so we called the rest of the day off.”

“Wow…” she murmurs, a thoughtful frown on her face. “Lucky, I guess? I mean, not the problems and all, but… you know, having a day off, and all. Must be nice…?”

She's rambling again. She does that a lot, he's noticed. And with anyone else, he would've immediately shut them down before finishing the second sentence.

But Flora is different… when Flora rambles on and on and her thoughts spill out like that, she's just so… _cute_.

“Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it,” he says with a light chuckle, and her frown eases up immediately into that familiar cheery expression of hers.

“Okay, cool~” she says merrily, before she sends to remember something else. “Oh! Actually, there's one other good thing!”

“Oh? And what's that?” he asks, genuinely curious.

“Weeeell, since you made it here before eleven… you can try out our breakfast menu~”

It's said with so much cheer and excitement that Verstael can't help but laugh. “Ah, that _is_ a good thing, yes.”

“Right?!” Flora exclaims with a smile before she (proudly) hands him their breakfast menu. “Sooo… usual while you look through the selection?”

“Ah, yes. That would be fine, thank you.”

“Okay then! I'll be right back~”

And then she turns and heads off into the kitchen to do just that. And Verstael watches her go every second of the way.

When he realized this, though, he quickly berates himself and then buries himself in the menu he's been provided. Anything to help him fight off the heart rising rapidly to his cheeks.

However, he can't help himself and every few items read, he sneakily glances over from the corner of his eye, watching her work the positively ancient coffee maker that this lousy diner has. He watches her whack it once or twice – oh, okay, _fine_ , she hit it exactly 7 times – to get the damn thing to function the way it has to so as to provide people with their drinks.

When she comes back to him with his drink, there isn't a trace of annoyance on her face, as she's back to her cheery, bubbly self.

“Here you go~” she announces as she sets his cup on the table. “One extra strong espresso as per usual~”

“Ah, thank you very much, Flora,” he says sincerely as he takes his first so of the drink. And it's just as awful as it always is, but he says nothing and bites back the words on his tongue as he sets the cup down.

“You're welcome~” Flora says, clearly none the wiser as she pulls out her notepad. “So, you ready to order?”

Verstael hums for a moment in thought, tapping a finger against the back, before he flips it shut again. “You know what?” he says casually. “Let's keep it simple. I'll have the caesar sandwich menu.”

“Ooh, good choice~” she says, but he's pretty sure that she's paid to say that part on a daily basis. Or at least, she _has_ to say it or risk losing her job. “I'll be right back. It will only take a few minutes~”

As she once again retreats herself to the kitchen, Verstael tries not to follow her with his gaze as he takes another, cautionary sip from his coffee. He also tries very hard not to visibly recoil from the taste whenever the bitter liquid fills his mouth, and once again, he asks himself why he keeps coming back here.

The scale itself is already decrepit enough to the point where he’s sure he'll be mugged at any second if he wasn't dressed in more casual clothes than his work uniform. Well, you know… “uniform” was a little much for how he dressed at work, but whatever. Anyway, the scale itself aside, the diner itself was far from sanitary itself, and the crowd it attracted was no better than the filth walking around outside. The drinks were awful; stale and tasting a lot more like dirt at times instead of the coffee it was supposed to be, and the food was absolutely subpar when compared to the high class meals he had grown up on his entire life. The meats were rubbery, the salads so dry that they crumbled to pieces at a mere touch, and the bread tasted like cardboard.

Not a single piece of food was _worth_ this weekly trip or the expense on his account (minor as it was).

“If I spare you a copper, may I hear your thoughts?”

Flora’s voice is sudden enough that he sets the cup down just a _tad_ too hard and he winces (visibly) at the sound of it hitting the dish. “Oh ah… sorry, Flora, I've… just got a lot on my mind.”

She looks at him silently for a few minutes in which Verstael almost fears she can see right through him and she _knows_ that there's more to what he's telling her. But then the solemn expression is gone and she smiles again, allowing him to breathe properly again.

“Yeah, I get that with work being delayed like that… but I'm sure it'll sort itself out eventually,” she says with that same cheery smile as always, even as she places his plate with the sandwich on it in front of him. “Here you go~”

“Ah, thank you,” he said sincerely, trying to give her his most honest smile he can muster. “And yes, I would certainly hope so.”

When he takes hold of the bread, he's not surprised at its staleness. It was the same as all other sandwiches he's had, down to the meat, lettuce and sauces.

Yet he still lifted it up and took a bite.

“…and?” Flora asks her once he's been able to chew it down entirely.

And he smiles at her and lies through his teeth without a moment of hesitation. “It’s good.”

Flora's smile lights up her entire face, and Verstael's carefully crafted mask nearly breaks.

“I'm glad!”

The food isn't worth it, no… but Flora's bright smile leaves him breathless every single time, and he would suffer through every meal with a smile if she would continue to do so forever.


End file.
